MW:Europe stocks rally; oil firms, drug makers rise
By Sara Sjolin
LONDON (MarketWatch) -- European stock markets rallied on Wednesday, with drug makers and oil firms supporting the most. Most markets were closed on Tuesday for May Day. The Stoxx Europe 600 index XX:SXXP +0.51% added 0.9% to 260.51. France's CAC-40 index FR:PX1 +1.19% took on 1.6% to 3,263.64, buoyed by oil group Total SA FR:FP +1.46% moving 2.3% higher. STMicroelectronics NV FR:STM +4.39% jumped 5.7% after a broker upgrade. The German DAX 30 index DX:DAX +0.79% gained 1.4% to 6,855.90, with drug maker Bayer AG DE:BAYN -1.67% up 2.7% and Daimler AG DE:DAI -0.97% 1.9% higher. In the U.K., the FTSE 100 index UK:UKX -0.25% traded 0.1% higher at 5,815.11. Banks weighed on the index and Standard Chartered PLC UK:STAN -2.38% shed 1.2% after reporting first-quarter earnings. Elsewhere, eyewear producer Luxottica Group SpA IT:LUX +4.36% added 3.9% after a broker upgrade. Vestas Wind Systems AS DK:VWS -10.00% sank 12% after first-quarter earnings missed analysts estimates.
